Just mere days ahead of the release of the band’s ninth full-length album, “Burials,” AFI descended upon Houston’s Warehouse Live to showcase its impressive catalog of hardcore punk-rock anthems.

With nine albums and ten extended plays worth of material to choose from, the members of AFI certainly had to make some tough decisions when they chose the songs for the setlist. In fact, over its career, the band has released thirteen singles. If Davey Havok (vocals) and company went with a single-heavy set, there would be little room for the band’s many other brilliant tracks. Thankfully, the band chose wisely, offering fans in attendance a great sampling of the songs that defined AFI as it evolved over the years.

Passion, Intensity, and Energy – The Dynamic Between AFI & Its Fans

A man of few words, Havok put his focus on performance over dialog.

“Houston, it has been a couple years,” Havok said to the sea of people in attendance at Warehouse Live. “Thank you so much for joining us.

Aside from a brief moment of gratitude to the fans in attendance, the band members spent the entirety of the evening leaving everything they had on stage.

With the veins in his face and neck protruding with every vocalization, Havok’s passion could just as easily be seen as heard. This sort of spirit is paramount to the live AFI experience, and the fans feed off of it. The intensity, however, was most notable during performances of new songs “I Hope You Suffer” and “17 Crimes.” Both brilliant compositions, the songs provided the perfect sound and energy for live performance.

In addition to the small sampling of new songs, the band did a phenomenal job accurately representing it’s metamorphosis over the years, with a heavy emphasis on it’s most popular records. The band lit up the stage with favorites from Sing the Sorrow like “The Leaving Songs Part II,” “Bleed Black,” and “Girls Not Grey,” and following up with songs like “Love Like Winter” and “Miss Murder” from Decemeberunderground.

The energy of AFI can never be questioned. For this event, guitarist Jade Puget and bassist Hunter Burgan criss-crossed one another on stage, flinging their guitars in the air and around their shoulders without missing a note. For many of the songs, Havok left the stage, climbed the barricade, and stood above the crowd as the fans cupped his feet with their hands to hold him in place. With every cymbal crash and snap of a snare, drummer Adam Carson really set the mood throughout the venue, as fans motioned, danced, and moshed with every beat. In fact, the audience reaction throughout the evening was something to behold. The fans sang every word of “The Leaving Song,” screamed along with Havok at the intense moment before the final verse of “Miss Murder,” and completely took the controls for “Silver and Cold,” to the point that Havok turned his microphone to the crowd in gratitude.

The fan intensity didn’t stop there. For every break, those in attendance would spontaneously start singing the words to “Strength Through Wounding,” chanting the words “through our bleeding, we are one” in perfect unison, and without any conducting from the musicians on stage.

Simply the Best

For the many live acts I have seen over the years, AFI is easily among the best. From the late 90’s to now, the band has always given its all on stage. Leaving its fans with a positive, lasting impression is as important to them now as it was when Havok and company came together for the first time. The live AFI experience is unlike that of any of the band’s contemporaries. The rich atmosphere is complete with an intensity and emotion that must be experienced live, because no words exist to describe what it’s like to share the room with Havok, Puget, Burgan, and Carson on any given night. Simply put, they are the best in the world at what they do.

Setlist:
The Leaving Song Pt. II
Girl’s Not Grey
I Hope You Suffer
Wester
Love Like Winter
Ever and a Day
17 Crimes
Today’s Lesson
The Leaving Song
Beautiful Thieves
Kill Caustic
Bleed Black
Miss Murder
The Days of the Phoenix
God Called in Sick Today

Encore 1:
Just Like Heaven
Dancing Through Sunday
Silver and Cold

Encore 2:
Totalimmortal

Contact Robert at robert@starsandsatellites.com or @RobertSatellite on Twitter